The Mississauga Lakeshore Rotary Club — the city’s oldest Rotary club, founded on Dec. 13, 1951 — has celebrated its 65th and final Christmas anniversary.

After working actively in the Mississauga community for 65 years, the club decided to merge with the Rotary Club of Mississauga West due to a decline in membership over the past few years.

“We have had a proud history in serving the community,” said Mississauga Lakeshore Rotary Club president David Schirmer. “But over the past few years our active membership has declined due to job and family pressures for younger members, and the passing of some of our experienced members.”

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Effective Jan. 1, 2017, both clubs will amalgamate for the betterment of the community. A new name for the club will be decided at a later date.

“We felt a merger was the best option so we can maintain and strengthen programs such as Rotary movies in the park, local student scholarships, and our commitments to organizations like Armagh, the Compass, and Trillium hospital,” said Schirmer.

At the final meeting, the Rotary Club also recognized the services of six longtime members and honoured them with Paul Harris awards for their services in the local community.

Recipients of the award are Pat Mullin, former Ward 2 councillor; Lynn Ward, executive director of Armagh House — a second stage housing program that provides housing and services to family violence victims, including women and children; and brothers Vince, John Paul and Andrew Angheloni, owners and operators of Mississauga’s Solstice Restaurant. A sixth recipient is Janet Miller, a teacher at Port Credit Secondary School.

“I look forward to its Rotarians continuing to serve the community with distinction as part of a stronger merged rotary club,” said Rotary district governor Bill Proctor.